# none

/ˈnən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/none
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. not any

pronoun · CEFR A2

not any of a group of people or things.

For teachers: not any; not one of a group of people or things. It can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the context and desired level of formality.

- I looked for some milk in the fridge, but there was none left.
- None of the candidates who interviewed for the senior position possessed the specific technical expertise required by the board.

### 2. not at all

adverb · CEFR B2

not at all, or not any more than before.

For teachers: to no extent; not at all. Often used before comparative adjectives like 'the wiser' or 'the worse'.

- He explained the math problem again, but I was none the wiser.
- Despite the significant investment in new machinery, the factory's total output remained none the better for the upgrade.

### 3. non-religious person

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

a person who does not belong to any particular religion.

For teachers: a person who lacks a formal religious affiliation or identifies as having no religion on a census or survey.

- The survey showed that the number of nones is growing in many cities.
- Sociologists have noted a sharp increase in the percentage of 'nones' among the younger demographic, reflecting a broader trend toward secularisation.

## Examples

- None of the students passed the test.
- I looked for a clean shirt in the drawer, but there were none left.
- Although several candidates applied for the senior position, none possessed the specific technical expertise required to manage the new laboratory equipment.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.